


Got To My Head

by ByTheAngell (SomeLittleInfamy)



Category: Shadowhunters (TV)
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-05-03
Updated: 2018-05-03
Packaged: 2019-05-01 11:59:58
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,036
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14520060
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SomeLittleInfamy/pseuds/ByTheAngell
Summary: With nothing to lose, and honestly just getting bored now, the demon possessing Jace does its best to rile up his captors and distract them from their work.





	Got To My Head

**Author's Note:**

> Set during/immediately following the sneak peak for 3x08, "A Walk Into Darkness".

“The only reason I became your parabatai was to make sure there was a roof over my head.” It’s difficult for Alec to hear the words come from Jace’s mouth - from a body that belongs to his parabatai, though the connection he feels now is strained and faded.  
  
“He’s just trying to get under your skin.” Alec knows that Magnus is only trying to help, but pointing out the obvious only makes him bristle. Of course that’s what the demon possessing his brother is doing - but did that change the facts he pulled from Jace’s mind? After all, he has to get these memories, this knowledge, from _somewhere_. Jace was never the type to show a lot of emotion, but especially as of late he hadn’t felt their connection as strongly as he once had. Maybe there were some grounds for all of this, deep down…  
  
“Or maybe I just prefer not to coddle your latest soldier boyfriend.”  
  
That reply brings Alec’s attention fully back to Jace from the depths of his wandering thoughts. He takes a step forward only to feel a strong, but gentle, force against his chest almost before he starts to walk as Izzy comes up beside him and reaches out her arm to stop him. Magnus and Jace are mere inches away from one another now, eyes locked.  
  
“It’s going to take more than that to get a rise out of me,” Magnus informs the demon, his tone one of boredom at the banter, face entirely impassive. This isn’t his first conversation with a demon, after all, and most of them are like this. Cold and manipulative, every word carefully calculated. He knows this song and dance better than many and navigates it with ease.  
  
“You, maybe not. But _him_ -” At Jace’s words Magnus glances toward Alec, his cool expression softening at the look on his boyfriend’s face. No, it clearly wouldn’t take more than that to get a rise out of Alexander, whose face is slightly flushed, lips pursed into a thin line, hands balled into fists at his side. Their fight was put on hold, but that didn’t mean it never happened. It doesn’t take the sting out of the words no matter how much Alec tries to ignore them.  
  
And knowing that he got to Alec the demon turns, latching onto his obvious prey. “Why even bother trying to save this guy? No one noticed when he wasn’t _himself_ anymore - not even you, his own brother. His parabatai. Everyone was so thrilled to see me - clearly I’m an improvement over the original.”  
  
Magnus frowns, obvious concern showing in his suddenly gentle tone, treading carefully now. “Alexander, perhaps you and Isabelle should go to the other room and continue our research while I handle things in here.”  
  
“Did you hear that, Alec? Magnus doesn’t think you can _handle_ this. Head of the New York Institute, and he doesn’t trust you to even _exist_ in the same space as a lowly demon without ruining things.” Jace’s mouth laughs, the sound low and callous, direct contrast to the sudden mirth glistening in his eyes. “Better run along with the other children while the _adults_ talk in here.  
  
Magnus sighs. “No one is falling for your-”  
  
“I’m not going anywhere.” Alec states firmly, though the hint of a tremor in his words betrayed the calm front he’s trying so desperately to keep.  
  
_Damn._ Isabelle and Magnus share a split-second look of alarm before their attention is back on Not-Jace.  
  
“See? Alec wants to stay. Maybe if we spend some quality time together he can learn to tell the difference between me and the brother he spent half of his life bonded to. What do you say, Magnus? Let the kiddies stay and play.”   
  
“I don’t need his permission.” Alec snaps, playing right into the demon’s words, every last one of them aimed at his own insecurities even though they’re directed at the warlock. Magnus waits a moment, and then another, refusing to speak until his own flare of irritation over the remark passes.   
  
“Of course you don’t,” Magus says with a heavy sigh. “And you know that wasn’t what I meant.” Magnus glances at Isabelle, silently pleading for any sort of assistance before this gets out of hand. He knows now that anything he says at this point, no matter how much he’s only trying to help, will only add fuel to the fire behind Alec’s flaring temper. They can’t afford a repeat of breakfast, not when the stakes are much higher than some cold french toast.  
  
Thankfully, Isabelle seems to be on the same page as Magnus. “Alec, I do need help sorting through those texts. And I don’t want to do it in here. Not with… not with that _thing_ pretending to be Jace. Pretending to know us.” There was disgust in her voice, as if she refuses lower herself to sharing this space with the demon in her brother’s skin, as if it were below the both of them.  She gives her brother a pleading look, knowing that he’ll leave for her sake even if he wants to defiantly stay for his own. That’s just the sort of person he was, putting his own desires aside to help those around him first, and it’s that instinct both she and Magnus count  on to get him out of this room before he does something rash.  
  
“Fine,” Alec agrees at length, but not before turning back to face not-Jace in the cage one last time. When their eyes meet there’s none of the compassion, none of the easy charm he was so used to seeing there - how did he not catch it before? “The next time I see you is going to be the last,” he says, gaze steady.  
  
“Oh, you can count on that,” the demon replied, donning Jace’s signature smug smirk so naturally it made Alec’s stomach turn.   


Alec opens his mouth to reply but shuts it again, turning sharply to leave instead. Isabelle follows close behind, leaving Magnus to his potions. With no idea how long Clary could stall for they know time is not a luxury they have on their side.   
  
They have work to get to.

**Author's Note:**

> (Find me on [Tumblr](http://bytheangell.tumblr.com))
> 
> I just wanted to have a little fun with Owl!Jace, playing with the fact that Alec called him out for not really being Jace even though he was trying to talk like/be him this whole time. Would possessed!Jace just be an asshole Jace, or would the thing possessing him have its own thoughts/influences? I tried to write it from an outside POV instead of any one character which is something I haven't done before, so that was a fun challenge! 
> 
> I hope you enjoyed! <3 I can't wait to see how this all plays out for real!


End file.
